Slide fastener for detachably attaching buttons to fabric and the like



NOV. 6, 195,1 A. E. BRYCE, 4

SLIDE FASTENER FOR DETACHABLY ATTACHING BUTTONS TOFABRIC AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 17, 1949 "Hm Z I I V Inventor Allan 5 5 Patented Nov. 6, 1951 I :rsmim FASTENER FOR'DETACHABLY AT- ""TACHING BUTTONS 'ro ,FABRIC 'AND:

AllanaEsBryce; ProvidencaiRuLj I applicant-Janua y 17, 1949, serial No. 71,288

tached to or detache'difrom f-a'bric, or.'otherma i' terial, and which .will ilprevent iloss of .'.buttons, particularly by being torn out of the i'fabl lc fil .material, the fastener :b'e-ing uespecia-lly adapted forxusewith' various .difierent types .of :buttons ian'difor attachment without. injuriously pinching onotherwisedamaging the fabric.

Other:and'isubordinateobjects, within the purview :of amy inventionptogether with 'the .precise .nature of my iimprovements will be readily-un- )dGISt'OOd iwhen'vithe;succeeding description-rand :claims. are readewithzreference to:the drawing. ac-

icompanying andzformingzaipart of this specificaztion;

: fInsaid-drawing:

.Figure. leis; a=view' ing-side -elev1at-ion,; partly in section',: illustrating my; improved fastener fin a preferred embodiment thereof :attached to one type .of' button; Figure. 21 is; a" view .invertical transverse section taken-on the line .2-2' of Figure 1 'anddrawn; to lalargerascale;

,Figure .3 is a similar :view "taken on ;the line 13-1 3 of Fi ur Figure 4 isa yiewin: perspective ;ofth'e -,slide member in the preferred embodimentthereof .drawntoa still larger scale; I a -.Figure 5 is a -similar .view of amodified-embodiment of theslide "member drawnyto; a {smaller scale; L: :3;

Figure -.6 is a -view .iniside elevation, partly; in section, of a modified embodiment 0f d niproved fastener; H ,iFigure 7; is a; fragmentaryyiew-inbottorn=;pla partlybrokenawayy- Figure 8 is a view. in perspective of thesslide member of .the: modified embodiment off-the fastener; :Eigure 9 is a view insside elevation illustrating the coupling member attached toanother type of:button; j e Figure .10 a view in bottom plan, -part 1y. in .section,.ofthe.same.;

.1 iigure=l1..is.a ing fjthenco-u ling typeefbuttonj I fEigure .12 is aview in buttom, planet thesaine; F.igure.,13.is. aview inside elevation illustrating the .couplingmember attached to still another member attached .to another view in. side elevation inestraje --.:2=:C-laims. (arm-ion to-' improvements in slide 2 v I s r Figure -1-4 is a view'in bottom plan of thesame. Referringto the drawing by numerals; an'dfirst to Figures '1, 2 and 3, inthe preferredembodi ment thereof the fastener of my invention comprises a --U-shaped coupling member I attached to thebutton 2 with its ends piercing thefabric 3;a slide memben l interlocking, in-a manner presently described, with the ends of the coupling member I on the side of the fabric 3-opposite the button 2, and a resilient, compressible, spacing sleeve 5, of rubber, or the like, interposed between 'thebutton 2 and the fabric 3 in surrounding, pon- I "cealingyrelation' to the coupling-member I and urgingthe button 2 "aWay'from the fabric}; "to

exert tension against said members I and and cause the slide member 4 to tightly'hugthefabric 3 and the button 2 "to 'flttightIy against 3 said sleeve. g

The coupling member I,as'il1ustrated iriFigures lt'o 3, isattache'd to a-conventional type of button 2 having an axialeye member 6 'protruding from the baclrof the button 'andthrough which the coupling member 'I is-s1idab1yand ,swingably inserted, with the coupling. member I f. i

As will be understood, the button l2iS seated and eye member fiiconcealed in the spacingxsleeye on the spacingsleeve' 5 and m'ay be tilted 'on's'aid sleeve relative to the coupling member I .in inserting the button 2 "in. a "button-hole, not

shown;

. minaliknobs'l of a suitableshape' for easy inser- Thecoupling member I :provided with ter- 'tion through the fabric .3 and with circumferen- .tial grooves '8 adjoining saidknobs'i'l and serving a purpose presently seen.

The slide member' l is'formedina singleipiece ofifiat,v resilient metaLandis of elongated-U ishape, or'loop form; with a:pair'of normally par- 18,1161; relatively long and. short legs 9, I0 spaced "apart in opposedrelation. Thelongleg "9 is op' posed to the fabric 3*and longitudinally slotted, or bifurcated, as at, fromits free'end, the slot I I,' or bifurcation, providing for entering'the ends of the coupling'member .in said leg '9='by slidingisaidleg onto saidends o'f "the'coupling member I instraddling relation thereto The width 'of the slot I I,v forming the'bifurcatiom is such that said leg 9 sli'dably fitsi in the .grooves 8 in interlocking engagement therewith'to' prevent the coupling member-I from, pulling-outof-the fabric =3. Terminal lips I2'on the free end of the furcations of the. long. leg 9, benttoward the; short leg I0, permit said leg 9 to-be slid along the fabric Swithout snagging the fabric. 7 I The short leg I0 of .the slide-member A .is .crimpd to ,form; a ,V shaped, .trmnsversetefininal described, the rib l3 wiping over and past the. knobs 1, in the attaching operation, and then designated 34, maybe inserted through an aperengaging the long leg ll, under reaction of. the.

short leg ill, to lock the slide member 4 attached,

in the manner described. To detach the slide member 4, it is merely necessary to pull the long leg off the coupling member |.v During this operation, the lip l3 wipes over and past the knobs in the same manner as in the attaching operation. In attaching the button 2 :by means of the described fastener, the coupling member I is firstattached to the eye member 6 and the spacing .sleeve5 is then positioned over the coupling member I, and said member 6. The ends of the I coupling member I are then forced through the fabric 3, and the slide member l attached in the manner already described. When the slide member 4 has been detached, the coupling member I the button 2.

In the modified embodiment of the slide member illustrated inFigure 5, a terminal lip l5, corresponding in function to the lips I2, is provided on the long leg l6 of the slide member and silient legs 22, 23 hinged together at one end of said member, as at 24, to swing into parallel spaced apart relation. The leg 22 is provided with a longitudinal entrance slot, or bifurcation, as at 25, for attaching the slide member 2|, in the same manner as in the preferred embodiment of the invention. 'I-he free-ends of the legs 22, 23 are curved to form hooked terminal lips"26,.2'| coacting, with a snap action, when the legs 22, 23 areswung into parallel relation to interlock and yieldingly lock the legs in such relation, The lip 2| of the'leg 23 is arranged to close the entrance end of the entrance slot, or bifurcation, 2'5when said legs are interlocked in parallel relation and prevent the slide member 2| from being pulled oflfthe ends of the coupling member, designated 26' in this instance. A finger grip 28 on the free end of the leg 23 is provided to facilitate swinging said leg away from the other leg 22 to open may be pulled out of the fabric 3, by grasping the entrance end of the entrance slot, or bifurcation, 25 so that the slide-fastener 2| may be detached by pulling the same'ofi the coupling member 26'. A similar, stop lug 29 on the hinged end of the leg 23 is adapted to coact with the hinged end of the leg 22 to limit swinging of the leg 23 away from the leg 22. A pair of side edge stop lugs 30 on the leg 22 are adapted to engage the other leg 23 when said legs are in parallel relation, to prevent said legs from being bent inwardly after the slide member 2| is attached. Otherwise, the'construction and arrangement is 4 the same as that described with reference to the preferred embodiment of the invention.

A particular advantage of my improved fastener is that it may be used with various types of conventional buttons to which the coupling member may be easily attached. For instance, as shown inFigures 9 and 10, the coupling member, designated 3|, may be inserted through the usual pair of thread holes 32 in a button 33. As shown in Figures 11 and 12, such a coupling member,

tured lug 35.0nthe back of another type of button 36.;A Sh0Wn in Figures 13 and 14, such a coupling designated 31 may be inserted in an apertured lug 38 on the back of a button 39 provided with bottom grooves 40 at opposite sides of the lug.

The "foregoing will, it is believed, suffice to impart a clear understanding of my invention, since the construction, use and advantages of the invention will be apparent therefrom.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification, without departing from 'the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved tov such modifications as fall within th scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what is claimed 'as new is:

1; A fastener for detachably securing a button to one side of a piece of fabric comprising a U- shaped coupling member attachedto the button with ends piercing the fabric and transversely grooved on the other side of the fabric, and a slide member bent into elongated loop form with a pair. of legs one of which is formed with a slot extending from one end-inwardlypastthe center of said leg to fit in said grooves and straddle said ends of the coupling member in interlocking engagement therewith to prevent said coupling member from pulling out of the fabric, said slot having an open entrance end whereby said slide member may be'slid onto said ends of the coupling membenthe other leg of said slide member having a free end engaging the slotted'l'eg'and bridging and closing said entrance end of the slot to prevent said slide member from sliding off said ends of the coupling memben'said legs of said slide member-being resiliently connected for flexing to disengage said free end from said slotted leg-for opening the entrance end of the slottoprovide for entering said ends of the coupling member in the slot and'being reactive toward each other to normally engage said free end with said slotted leg-and'bridge and close said entrance end of the slot.

' 2. A fastener for detachably securing a button to one side of apiece of fabric comprising a U-shaped coupling member attached to the but ton with ends piercing the fabric and transverselygrooved on the other sideo'f the fabric, and a sliding member of'elongated loopforrnwith a' pair of legs one of which is formed with a slot extending from one end inwardly past the center of said leg to fit in said grooves and straddle said ends of the coupling memberin interlocking engagement therewith to prevent said coupling member from pulling'out of the fabric, said'slot havingan open entrance end whereby said' slide may he slid onto said ends of the coupling member, the other leg of said slide member having a free end for engagement with said slotted leg at the entranceend of said slot to, close said entrance end and prevent the slide from sliding off said ends of the coupling member, said other leg being swingably connected at its other end to 5 the other end of the slotted leg for movement of said free end into engagement with said slotted leg, said slotted leg having its ends bent toward the other leg to curve away from the fabric and prevent said slotted leg from snagging the fabric.

ALLAN E. BRYCE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number UNITED STATES PATENTS v Name Date Gengembre Dec. 13, 1864 Zak -Feb. 20, 1917 Kors Oct. 3, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain June 10, 1943 

